New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-28
TIE CAR WINDOW AGdIM

good deal has appeared in THE TRIBUNE
Of late in regard to the control of the car
window Who has the right to control II
the man who sits next to it or the man who slts
next to the man that sits next or both, or
neither of them? Each one of these positions
has been advocated in these columns, with
good many readers yet to be heard from. But
it is not that phase of the car window question
which we propose to consider to-day. The
Mechanical Engineer, remarks that "socailed
easy chairs in drawing-room cars have given
inventors a great deal Of work." Undoubtedly
But there is one thing about railway cars that
has not gwen inventors great deal OF work.
10 wit; huw to build car window so that when
it's down passenger can get it up, and when
it's up passenger can get 1t down.
Why should this be SOP The human race
is nearly through the nineteenth century. The
dark agee disappeared long ago. For very many
wears there has been a general diffusion of knowl-
edge for those that have wanted 1t, and COM
puIsory education for those that haven't. Rail-
ways have been in operation since A. ID. 1902.
windows with glass date back to b. O. 1900
Nevertheless no inventor has ever arisen who
has thu xht it worth his while to fashion
car window which will not remain as immovablc
as Plymouth Rock when there is most need
of its being accommodating. No sight is more
common than that of q passenger on railway
car pulling the sincws out of his arms and
bursting his blood vessels in mighty but useless
effort to bulge car window. If, as is often
the case, the passenger is young, chivair1c,
susceptible gentleman who has seized hold OF
the window ut the request OF q girl lovely but
not strcag In the wrists, he is apt to come out
of the encounter disgraced in her eyes, and with
his constitution ruined for life The girl In her
inexperience labors under the impression that II
the youth had cared enough for her no would
certainly have raised the window. He sees her
scorn Of his supposed incfficiency in her eyes,
and with cold bow leaves her, goes forward to
the smoking car, and at the next station gets
out and repairs to the nearest hospital lor
treatment. or she sends back her en-
gagement ring rs soon she gets home, and
they never meet again Such heartrending
tragedies are constantly occurring on all our
railways, so that 1t is safe 70 affirm that the
car window does more 70 make tho course OF
true kve run rough than any other cause.
Why is it. then, that no famous inventor brings
his powers to bear the car wtncowP Why
does the great popular want Of car window
warranted not to stick under any circumstances
90 all unsuppcdp Is this separating OF young
lovers, this destruction Of sinews, this bursting
Of blood vessels to go on forever
Perhaps the best thing the travelling public
can do In the circumstances is 10 offer prize
for what they ycarn for. One million dollars or
more ought readily TO bc raised from the men
and women Of the United States who have been
travelling this oppressive summer and who have
been lafiled and beaten and degraded In the
eyes OF fellow passengers by car windows. Let
us See II there is not some inventor who will
con emf for cool million spot cash to make
window that can be raised and lowered at
Measure.